Observations of sea surface salinity in the western Pacific fresh pool: Large‐scale changes in 1992–1995

Hénin, Christian; Penhoat, Yves du; Ioualalen, Mansour

doi:10.1029/97jc01773

Cited by 70 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Comparing with seasonal SSS variability which is primarily dominated by E-P forcing according to previous studies [e.g., Delcroix and Henin, 1991;Delcroix et al, 1996;Hénin et al, 1998], our analysis demonstrate that ocean dynamics is of higher-level of importance at interannual time scale. In the central Pacific, meridional Ekman advection -V E S y and E-P forcing are both important in producing and maintaining the low-frequency, large-magnitude SSS anomalies, and the two effects are also both closely associated with ENSO events.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Note that E-P field shows apparent differences from SSS in both mean state and variation. Mean E-P exhibits a narrow minimum band (< À0.5 Â 10 -7 m s -1 ) between 4 N-7 N, characterizing the ITCZ (Figure 1d), while the minimum band of SSS (< 34.5) locates generally north of these latitudes [Delcroix et al, 1996;Hénin et al, 1998]. This difference indicates the importance of ocean dynamics: fresh water formed within the ITCZ is carried northward by the Ekman flow ( Figure 1e) associated with trade winds (Figure 1d).…”

Section: Observed Interannual Sss Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, quantifying sea surface salinity (SSS) variability used to be a challenging task due to the paucity of in situ observations. In the tropical Pacific Ocean, large seasonal SSS variations often occur in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ) regions and mainly controlled by rainfall changes [e.g., Delcroix and Henin, 1991;Delcroix et al, 1996;Hénin et al, 1998]. At interannual time scale, SSS variations are of larger amplitudes and more complicated patterns in response to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-related freshwater forcing and ocean current advection [Maes, 2000;Delcroix and McPhaden, 2002;Delcroix et al, 2011;Singh et al, 2011].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Interannual sea surface salinity variations observed in the tropical North Pacific Ocean

Wang

Han

2013

Geophysical Research Letters

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Analysis of observational data sets reveals pronounced interannual variations of sea surface salinity (SSS) in the tropical North Pacific (7°N–15°N) during 2000–2012. SSS anomalies with maximum magnitudes >0.2 occur in the central Pacific and translate westward at a speed of 15–20 cm s–1. The signals are weakened during their westward movement but reinforced in the Philippine Sea. Budget analysis for the mixed layer salinity suggests that in the central Pacific, El Niño–Southern Oscillation‐related atmospheric freshwater forcing and ocean advection changes are both important in generating and maintaining these large SSS anomalies. In the advection term, the most contributing component is the meridional Ekman advection induced by trade winds. These SSS anomalies are subsequently carried westward by the North Equatorial Current, which is the primary cause of SSS variations in the Philippine Sea. Freshwater forcing is also at work in the Philippine Sea, but its role is generally secondary.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Section: Observed Interannual Sss Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Interannual sea surface salinity variations observed in the tropical North Pacific Ocean

Wang

Han

2013

Geophysical Research Letters

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Observational studies indicate that the salinity front migrates further than 1000 km zonally (e.g., HÉNIN et al, 1998). Other studies (e.g., PICAUT et al, 1996;DELCROIX and PICAUT, 1998) have also suggested that the migration is closely correlated with El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Barrier Layer and Relevant Variability of the Salinity Field in the Equatorial Pacific Estimated in an Ocean Reanalysis Experiment

Fujii¹,

Kamachi²,

Matsumoto

et al. 2011

Pure Appl. Geophys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper investigates the feasibility of an ocean data assimilation system to analyze the salinity variability associated with the barrier layer in the equatorial Pacific. In order to validate reproducibility of the temperature and salinity fields, we perform an assimilation run where some temperature and salinity observations by TRITON buoys and Argo floats are withheld. The assimilation run reproduces interannual variability of salinity in the equatorial Pacific exhibited in the data that are withheld. Statistics shows that salinity values and variations in the assimilation run are closer to the data than the climatology and in the model free run. We also confirm that zonal currents in the equatorial Pacific in the reanalysis, where all available temperature and salinity data are assimilated, are consistent with an observation-based mapping and the data of the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler mounted on TAO buoys. Variability of the barrier layer and relevant salinity field in the reanalysis is consistent with former studies. A thick barrier layer area generally exists west of the equatorial salinity front and is displaced zonally with the migration of the front in the response to El Niño-Southern Oscillation, although the area moved to the east over the front in the 1997 El Niño. It is confirmed that the barrier layer thickness is closely correlated with the near-surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific.

show abstract

“…The impact of the salinity on the tropical Pacific Ocean becomes a focal point of research [18] . Webster and Lukas [19] pointed out that the vertical structure of salinity produced a great influence on the redistribution of heat of the western Pacific.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A three-dimensional variational ocean data assimilation system: Scheme and preliminary results

Zhu

Zhou

et al. 2006

SCI CHINA SER D

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A new 3DVAR-based Ocean Variational Analysis System (OVALS) is developed. OVALS is capable of assimilating in situ sea water temperature and salinity observations and satellite altimetry data. As a component of OVALS, a new variational scheme is proposed to assimilate the sea surface height data. This scheme considers both the vertical correlation of background errors and the nonlinear temperature-salinity relationship which is derived from the generalization of the linear balance constraints to the nonlinear in the 3DVAR. By this scheme, the model temperature and salinity fields are directly adjusted from the altimetry data. Additionally, OVALS can assimilate the temperature and salinity profiles from the ARGO floats which have been implemented in recent years and some temperature and salinity data such as from expendable bathythermograph, moored ocean buoys, etc. A 21-year assimilation experiment is carried out by using OVALS and the Tropical Pacific circulation model. The results show that the assimilation system may effectively improve the estimations of temperature and salinity by assimilating all kinds of observations. Moreover, the root mean square errors of temperature and salinity in the upper depth less than 420 m reach 0.63℃ and 0.34 psu. Keywords: data assimilation, 3DVAR, sea surface height, ARGO floats.With the successful development of ocean buoys technique in the 1990s, the ARGO plan was proposed by the international group in 1998 and implemented in 1999. Up to now, more than 1800 ARGO floats are now in operation and delivering real-time temperature and salinity profile observations over the world oceans. By the end of 2005, ARGO will expect to provide more than 100000 temperature and salinity profiles which have a depth range of 0 m to 2000 m [1] . Apart from the ARGO plan, the GODAE high-resolution sea surface temperature pilot project (GHRSST-PP) is beginning to implement to provide high resolution in the time of 6 h and in the space of 10 km [2] sea surface temperature observation with global coverage for the operational oceanography, climate study and prediction. Except the above two new observation systems, as a successor of successful implementation of Topex/Poseidon altimeter satellite in the 1990s, the Jason-1 Mission was successfully launched in December, 2001. This observation system can provide

show abstract

Observations of sea surface salinity in the western Pacific fresh pool: Large‐scale changes in 1992–1995

Cited by 70 publications

References 33 publications

Interannual sea surface salinity variations observed in the tropical North Pacific Ocean

Interannual sea surface salinity variations observed in the tropical North Pacific Ocean

Barrier Layer and Relevant Variability of the Salinity Field in the Equatorial Pacific Estimated in an Ocean Reanalysis Experiment

A three-dimensional variational ocean data assimilation system: Scheme and preliminary results

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About